January 20-21, 2012 -- Captain's Invitational & Multis

The Captains played host once again to several teams from up and down the Eastern Seaboard. The two-day Captain's Invitational featured an expanded event schedule including the Pentathlon/Heptathlon and the rarely-run 200m Hurdles.

Roethel Opens 2012 With Big Heptathlon Score

Captains Post 37 PRs in Two Days

The Captains returned to competition in the New Year with another invitational on their home track. The Captain's Invitational began with the Women's Pentathlon and the Men's Heptathlon - the latter replacing the Pentathlon as the Division III Championships Combined Event competition. Sophomore Jenna Elliott(Fredericksburg, VA) led two freshmen - Enuma Ezenwa(Herndon, VA) and Danielle Crowley(Rockville, MD) - in to the five-event competition while junior All-American Richard Roethel(Farmingville, NY) and rookie Troy Newcomer(Leesburg, VA) took their first shot at the seven-eventer. Elliott posted three event PRs and an additional Pentathlon best on the way to a PR score of 2387. Ezenwa trailed her teammate for the first two events before gaining ground and eventually overtaking her witha 2504

Richard Roethel

point total - good for #3 in CNU History. Crowley established first Penatahlon marks on her way to a score of 2234. The men each cleared PR heights in the High Jump - 2.03m/6-8 for Roethel (an Indoor Combined Event best) and 1.88m/6-2 for Newcomer. Roethel added a 60m Hurdle PR (8.91) and an indoor Pole Vault debut 4.20m/13-9.25 (good for #7 on the CNU All-Time List) on his way to a Freeman Center Record 5014 point total. Newcomer amassed 3753 points for 3rd place in the meet.

In the Friday evening events, Jonathon Wade(Rocky Mount, VA) matched his PR and CNU #7 effort in the Weight Throw - 13.18m/43-3 and sophomore Caitlin Miller(Huntington, NY) spanned an indoor best 4.72m/15-6 in the Long Jump. Robert Mayes(Culpeper, VA) led the Captains with a PR 7.29 in the 60m.

The most talked-about event of the night was the novelty 200m Hurdles - set up with the same spacing and hurdle-heights as the outdoor 400m event. Troy Newcomer ran the fastest lap for the Captains on the men's side (27.74) while Fredsal Walker(Herndon, VA) and Dira Hansen(Culpeper, VA) finished 1-2 in the women's race in 29.90 and 30.42, respectively.

Saturday started with an indoor lifetime best for freshman Valerie Washington(Charlottesville, VA) in the

Caitlin Miller

Shot Put (11.00m/36-1.25) and another PR for Caitlin Miller - this time in the Triple Jump (10.53m/34-6.75). Junior David Fishman cleared a long-awaited Pole Vault best for second place in the competition. His 4.21m/13-9.75 bumped Roethel from his brief stay at #7 on the CNU List.

Saturday's track races got off to a great start for the Captains, too. The Mile produced 11 PRs and a near-miss. Erin Rolaf(Woodbridge, VA) led the women with a 5:29.82 with Karen Bumiller(Burke, VA) (5:38.22) and Sarah Russell(Manassas, VA) (5:48.68) following with their own lifetime bests. Eight of the nine men in the Mile raced to PRs -the ninth, Daniel Richard(Manassas, VA) missed his by just over a second (4:41.50). Brad Turner(Williamsburg, VA) led the way in 4:34.62 with Scott Teribury(Woodbridge, VA) (4:37.64) and Christopher Allen(Reston, VA) (4:38.46) close on his heels.

Turner doubled back for another PR in the 1,000m (2:47.36). Scott Wright(Oak Hill, VA) also improved his five-lap best by a few seconds to 2:53.32. Wilson Bever(Chantilly, VA) did the same over three laps, earning a 600m PR (1:28.98). Nick Hedrick(Falls Church, VA) sped an all-alone 2:00.62 in a slow heat of the 800mand all three Captains in the 3k earned PRs - Patrick Cunningham(Williamsburg, VA) led in 9:25.78 and Eric Ginsburg(Loch Arbour, NJ) hacked over 35 seconds from his previous best, finishing in 9:41.03.

The Captain's strong start to the season - both at the December meet and in the Captain's Invitational - has earned them high rankings on the regional and national polls. Both squads sit atop the South/Southeast Region Index. In the Dual Meet Rankings, both are #9 in the Nation.

Next up for the Blue & Silver is a trip to Lynchburg for the Liberty Open on Friday & Saturday, January 27 & 28.